Hatter&#39;s fur carroting machine



Oct, 11, 1932. .1. WEBER ET AL HATTERS FUR CARROTING MACHINE Filed June 17., 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet g] woe 11 005 Oct. 11, 1932. J. WEBER ET AL HATTERS FUR CARROTING MACHINE Filed June 17, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 f if n on All AA-nn nAn "qnmqnn -nno 0000000000 oooaoo oaaooo ouoono coon nooooaooanoa 90000020 0 one glwwntozs 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 J. WEBER ET AL HATTERS FUR CARROTING MACHINE Filed June 17, 1931 Patented Oct. 11, 1932 UNITED STATES JOSEPH WEBER AND JULIAN F. TOMAINO, OF DANBURY, CONNECTICUT HLATTERS FUR CAR-ROTING MACHINE Application filed June 17, 1931.

This invention relates to machines for carroting fur, especially fur on the skin preparatory to cutting the fur for .hatters use. In the different trades there is confusion in the use of the term pelt but throughout the present specification and claims We have used the term pelt to mean the combination of the skin or hide with the fur attached to it.

As is well known, before the fur can beused for felting in making hats it must be carroted, that is, treated with a carroting Sulution, ordinarily nitrate of mercury to treat the fur fibers so that they will cling together in the felting operation. Up until the present time practically all of the carroting of the fur has been done by hand, the operator using heavy brushes which are dipped into the carroting solution and then rubbed lIllO the fur on the pelt. This is an expensive operation as it is all hand labor, and this solution quickly eats up the bristles of the brushes so that they have to be renewed after being used only a short time.

The carroting solution is very poisonous and corrosive and therefore dangerous to the operator, and the fur is not uniformly treated as unless the operator is very conscientious he is apt to merely rub the carroting solu-' tion on the outer portions of the fur only, and

' with the best of operators the fur is not uniformly treated throughout its entire surface and depth. v

To overcome these objections numerous attempts have been made to construct a machine which would do this work, but up to the present these machineshave not been satisfactory, and therefore even at the present time substantially all of the fur is being carroted by the old hand method, practically the only exception being a machine which involves a rotary brush dipping into the carroting solution-and on which brush the pelt is held by the hand of the operatorQ which however, is not much better than the old hand method.

It is therefore an object of ourinvention to produce. a. machine which will overcome these objections and which will automatically carrot the fur while on the skin in a uniform and effective manner throughout the entire-surface ofthe skin, and'will treat the Serial No. 544,957.

entire fur fiber clear down to the surface of the skin.

It is also an object of the invention to not only provide means which will apply the carroting solution in a way to give uniform treatment of the fur throughout the surface of the pelt, but also to provide means for effectively rubbing the carroting solution into the fur to insure that all of the fiber is treated with the carrot in a uniform manner.

Another object is to provide an improved means for applying the carroting solution to the fur together with improved means for supporting and passing the pelt at a uniform speed past the liquid applying means.

Another object is to provide an improved means for holding the pelt while rubbing the carroting solution into the fur.

A still further object is to provide means for preventing soaking of the skin with the carroting solution, and for collecting and returning excess carroting solution to the sup? ply means so as to reduce waste of this mater al to a minimum.

And it is still another object of the invention to provide a machine which will automatically apply the carroting solution to the fur of the pelt which is automatically fed forwardly, and will apply this solution thoroughly and evenly to the fur with all the operations being entirely automatic. so that skilled operators are not necessary, it being necessary only to feed the pelts in the proper manner to the machine.

With the foregoing and other objects in View the invention comprises certain novel features of construction, combinations and arrangements of elements as -will be, more fully disclosed in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine with certain parts broken away to more clearly show the construction; I

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof with certain parts broken away to more clearly show the construction; I

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through the upper part of the mach ne on an enlarged scale taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detailed section of one end of the support for the pelt substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the improved means for rubbing the carroting 'solution into the fur;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a portion thereof Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the improved reservoir for holding the carroting solution and the associated discharge nozzles;

Fig. 8 is a detailed section of a separator and return means for the carroting solution;

Fig. 9 is an end'view of the mounting for the reservoir and air blast at one end thereof; and

Fig. 10 is a top plan view thereof.

The machinev as illustrated includes suitable supporting stands or legs 11 on which various devices are mounted, and on these supports are side bar 12 for carrying the a various elements of'the device. .At the forward end of the machine is a table 13 covered on its surface with a sheet 14 of acid proof material such as acid resisting iron or steel which can be purchased on the market. This is the feeding table from which the pelt indicated at 15 is fed. To the rear of this table are a pair of rubber guard rolls 16 and immediately to the rear of these rolls a pair of fluted feed rolls 17 also of acid proof material, such as fluted rolls of acid resisting,

iron or steel. To the rear of these feed rolls I 17 is a support for the pelt which is preferably composed of open grid work such as tel longitudinal bars 18 of acid proof material, preferably acid resisting iron or steel bars,

r as they are stronger than glass or porcelain bars. These bars may be supported by any suitable means such astransverse brackets 19.

Mounted over the supporting bars 18 is a supply means for the carroting solution. This comprises a transverse reservoir'20 preferably in the form of a tube extending entirely across over the grid support 18 and spaced above it. It is mounted by any suitable means, but preferably by end trunnions 21 in rectangular blocks 22 seated in a vertical recess in the side brackets 24 of the machine., Thus if desired the entire device may be removed by merely lifting it from the bracket 24, and when replaced by merely dicated at 27. For this purpose there ex tends down into the reservoir a feed pipe 28 leading by a'fiexible hose connection 29 to a supply reservoir such as a large glass bottle 30 for the carroting solution, usually nitric acid and mercury. The flow of the solution may be cut off by means of the valve 31. It will be evident that the level of the liquid 27 in the reservoir 20 will be automatically maintained with the surface 32 thereof even with the lower open end or the opening 33 from the discharge pipe 28, and there fore by raising or lowering this pipe the surface of the liquid may be maintained at any level desired.

Projecting laterally fromthe side of the reservoir 20 is a series of discharge nozzles 34, these nozzles being located at a short distance above the level 32 of the carroting liquid in the reservoir 20. Each nozzle is connected with a supply tube 35 extending inwardly and downwardly in the reservoir with its lower end 36 below the liquid level. These nozzles are relatively closely spaced throughout the length of the reservoir 20, or at least for a distance equal to the width of the widest pelt tobe treated. However, as the fur on a pelt is the longest and thickest on a strip through the center of the pelt corresponding toithe top of the back of the animal, it is preferred to have these discharge nozzles somewhat closer together at the cen- .ter of the tube 20 which would be normally over the center of the peltas it passes through the machine so that somewhat more carroting solution issupplied to the longer thicker fur than at the side edges of the pelt where thefur is thinner. Thus, for example it has been found to be very satisfactory to space the nozzles about 7 inch between the centers at the outer ends as indicated at 37, Fig. 7, and about inch between centers at the center of the reservoir as indicated at 38 with gradual increase in the distance between them from the center to the outer ends. This is clearly shown in Fig. 7. Located above these discharge nozzles is a transverse air tube 39 having discharge openings 40 in the lower wall thereof directed downwardly across the discharge nozzles 34, there being one of these blast openings for each of the discharge nozzles, andtheair pipe 39 is adjustably mounted on arms 41 pivoted on the trunnions 21 and adjustable with respect to the reservoir 20. It may be secured in adjusted position by the holding screws 42 through the slots 43 in the arms. By this arrangement the air blast pipe 39 can be adjusted to the proper position with respect to the nozzles 34, and the air blast and liquid spray can be. adjusted to the proper angle with respect to the pelt being treated. Air is supplied to the pipe 39 through any suitable supply pipe 44 leading from a separator 45 in the outlet from any suitable air comair blasts 40 a continuous curtain or sheet 48 t of spray of the carroting solution is provided extending entirely across the machine, or at least for a width corresponding to the widest pelt to be treated. The air blasts 40 are located a suiiicient distance above the nozzles 34 so as not to produce a fog or cloud of spray, but by locating them above the nozzles some distance no fog is formed but a spray of small particles of liquid is produced, and the air blast creates a sufiicient suction at the outlet of the nozzles to draw the liquid from the reservoir 20. The pressure of this air blast with the particles of the liquid travelling at high speed hit the fur on the pelt at the same time as indicated at 49. That is, the air creates a pressure which together with speed or momentum of the liquid forces it down into the fur so that the fur is treated with this liquid for its entire length and even down to the surface of the skin or hide of the pelt. It is preferred that the nozzles and air blast be tilted somewhat as shown in Fig. 3 so that the blast of liquid is inclined and projected somewhat forwardly and thus has a tendency to lift the fur so as to force the carroting solution down into it and apply it to the entire length of the fur fibers, it being understood that the pelts are fed into the machine with the head first so that the tendency of the fur is to incline somewhat backwardly as indicated in Fig. 3.

Immediately beyond the spray 48 is an idler fluted roll 50 which keeps the skin from buckling and holds it flat on the supports 18. It also assists in advancing the pelt along the top of the support 18. Immediate- 1y to the rear of the support 18 is a pair of fluted feeding and holding rolls 51 and 52 which receive the pelt immediately after it leaves the support 18, and controls its movement while the carroting solution is being rubbed into the fur. For this purpose there is located to the rear of the rolls 51 and 52 a support 53 over which is mounted a roll 54 so constructed and arranged as to rub the carroting solution thoroughly into the fur. This roll comprises any suitable body 55 covered with rubber 56 including a large number of rubber nubs 57 which are flexible so that they yield somewhat during the rubbing operation so as not to tear or injure the fur, but are sutliciently rigid to thoroughly rub the carrot throughout the fur to give a uniform distribution of the carroting soluti on, and a thorough and uniform treatment of the fur both throughout the entire surface of the pelt and clear down to the surface of the skin; This roll is mounted to rotate clockwise as viewed in Fig. 3, that is, so that the nubs 57 move against the natural lie of the fur and the roll is driven with surface speed considerably faster than the speed of the pelt. Of course this rubbing operation 'of the roll 54 will tend to advance the pelt,

but it is held by the rolls 51 and 52 so as tov give a uniform movement of the pelt past the rubbing roll. The pelt is also held back to a certain extent-by an upwardly'extending Wall 58 at the rear edge of the platform 53, and this wall also helps to hold the pelt in proper position for the rubbing operation. As the finished pelt drops oif the rear edge of the wall 58 it is caught by a conveyor 59, preferably a rubber belt or a rubberized fabric so as not to be injured by the carroting solution, and conducted to any suitable location. Ordinarily a girl or body takes the pelts from the conveyor and places them in a stack or suitable carrier. he pressure of the rolls 50, 51 and 52 also tends to dis tribute the carroting solution throughout the It will of course be understood that if the sheet of spray 48 is'of sufficient width to treat the Widest pelts, with narrower pelts the outer end portions of this spray will not be blown on to any fur, and also between passage of pelts there will be a gap during which carroting solution would be Wasted unless some means were provided for collecting it. As the support 18 is an open grid work composed of round bars it will be evi dent that any spray which is not taken up For I by the pelt will pass directly through these Therefore this support practi- As these bars are circular it will be also makes it easier to handle the pelts subrear of the rubbing roll 54, so that any carroting solution that may drop down will be sequent to the carroting operation. The pan collected and saved. The bottom of this pan is inclined to discharge at 66 into a trough 67 through a screen 68, and leading from this trough is an outlet pipe 69 leading to an air jet pump 70 discharging through a pipe or hose 71 to a separator 72 on the top of the reservoir 20. Compressed air is supplied to the jet pump through a suitable pipe 73 controlled by a valve 74:. The separator 72 comprises an enlarged tubular element having an opening at the top covered with a screen 75 and a discharge opening 7 6 at its lower end leading into the reservoir 20. Thus it will be evident that all the carroting solution which is not taken up by the fur of the pelt is immediately returned to the tank through the separator 72, the solution separating from the air in level with the lower end of the pipe 28 and just as soon as it falls below this level air can enter this pipe 28 and pass to the jar 30 permitting sufficient carroting solution to flow from the 30 to bring the level of the liquid 27 back to the height of the lower end of the pipe 28. Therefore the top surface 32 of the liquid in the reservoir 20 is always automatically maintained at a given level. This is very important because it always insures the same andcontinuous supply of liquid to each of the nozzles'3 l, and therefore for a given air blast the, supply of carroting liquid is always the same and uniform. Therefore the fur is given a uniform supply of carroting solution throughout the entire surface of the pelt, doing away with the old objection of the hand me hods of having too much carrot on some of the fur and too little on the rest of it. In other words this machine automatically and ell'cctively applies the carroting solution uniformly to the fur and effects a uniform treatment of the fur, not only throughout the entire surface of the pelt but also clear down to the surface of the skin, and this can be done with practically no ,danger to the operators and skilled operators are not necessary.

It is usual to provide a hood 77 extending over the spraying apparatus to collect any spray that may be thrown up and carry it off through an exhausting device 78. All the metal parts-of the machine which come in contact with. the carroting solution should be made of acid resisting materials such as the acid resisting irons or steels which are now available on the market. The rolls 16 are merely guide rolls to prevent the feeding operator getting her fingers caught and vdriven by various gear trains.

crushed in the feed rolls 17. All of the various rolls may be driven by any suitable means, but as shown on the drawings they are The entire machine may be driven from any suitable source of power such as an electric motor 79 driving a pulley 80 on a main drive shaft 82 through a belt 81. On this shaft may be other pulleys 83 and 8% with belts 85 and 86 running to dilferent parts of the machine. Belt 85 may run to a pulley 87 driving a gear 88 meshing with gear 89 for driving the rubbing roll 54. This roll 54 runs in bearings in upright guides 90 which bearings are free to move up and down so that the roll rubs against the fur only with a pressure depending on the weight of the roll and its mountings, and it can yield upwardly to compensate for variations in the thicknesses of the pelts and to prevent tearing of the fur.

lhe belt 86 leads to a pulley 91 operating through suitable gear trains 92 and 93 for operating the various feed rolls. It is also preferred to provide a supplementary pan 9& to collect any carroting liquid which may drop from the machine and convey it through its conduit95 to any suitable receptacle 96.

We have found in actual practice that this machine gives a uniform thorough carroting of the fur. In fact it is much more thorough and uniform than can be done with the old hand methods, and thus produces a more uniform and betterproduct. Also one machine will do the work of several workmen and in a much better manner. Skilled operatives are not necessary and there is practically no danger to them from the poisonous carroting solution.

Having thus set forth the nature of our invention, what we claim is:

1. In a machine for carroting fur on the skin, a support for the pelt, means for advancing the pelt over the support, means above the support for spraying carroting liquid into the fur under pressure, feed rolls for gripping and holding the pelt after passing the spray, and a rubber covered roll having spaced flexible rubber nubs to engage the fur and rub the carroting liquid into it, andmeans for rotating the latter roll at a greater surface speed than that of the feed rolls and in a direction opposite to the natural lay of the fur on the skin.

2. In a machine for carroting fur on the skin, a support for thepelt, a transverse tube OXGI the support adapted to contain carrot ing liquid, a pluraity of nozzles projecting laterally through a side of the tube, said nozzles including tubes within the. transverse tube having downwardly directed portions provided with inlets below the level of the liquid, means for maintaining carroting liq uid at a given level in the first tube below the outlets of the nozzles, means for projecting air blasts downwardly across the nozzles toward the pelt on the support, and means for advancing the pelt through the spray.

3. In a machine for carroting fur on the skin, a support for the pelt, a transverse tube over the support adapted to contain carroting liquid, a plurality of discharge nozzles projecting laterally from one side of the tube, feed tubes for the nozzles having inlets 'below the level of the liquid in the first tube, means for automatically maintaining the carroting liquid at a given level in the first tube below the outlets of the nozzles, a series of means for directing air downward across said nozzles toward the support, means for forcing air through said air directing means, means for advancing the pelt across the support, and rotating means for Working the carroting liquid uniformly into the fur.

4. In a machine for carroting fur on the skin, means for supporting the pelt with the fur side up, a transverse reservoir above the pelt for holding carroting liquid, a plurality of discharge nozzles projecting laterally from the reservoir above the liquid level, feed tubes connected to the discharge nozzles having inlets below the liquid level, means for automatically maintaining the liquid at'a given level in the reservoir below the outlets of the nozzle, and a pluralty of air jets above the nozzles and discharging across the same toward the pelt, and means for supplying air under pressure to said jets.

5. In a machine for carroting fur on the skin, a support for the pelt, means for advancing the pelt over the support, a transverse reservoir over the support forliolding carroting liquid, means for automatically maintaining the liquid in the reservoir at a given level, a series of discharge nozzles projecting laterally from the reservoir with their outlets above the level of the liquid and having inlets below the liquid level,

and means for projecting a series of air blasts downwardly across the discharge nozzles into the pelt.

6. In a machine for carroting fur on the skin, an open grid support, a reservoir extending transversely over the support for holding carroting liquid, a series of discharge nozzles projecting laterally from the reser voir, means for automatically maintaining the liquid in the reservdir at a given level below the outlets of the nozzles, said nozzles having inlets below the liquid level, means for projecting a series of air blasts downwardly across the discharge nozzles, a pan under the support for collecting liquid discharged from the nozzles which does not hit the pelt, and means for returning this liquid to the reservoir.

7. In a machine for carroting fur on the skin, an open grid support, a reservoir extending transversely over the support for holding carroting liquid, a series of discharge nozzles projecting laterally from the reservoir, means for automatically maintaining the liquid in the reservoir at a given level be low the outlets of the discharge nozzles, said nozzles having inlets below the liquid level, means for projecting a series of air blasts downwardly across the discharge nozzles, a pair of feed rolls for feeding the pelts onto the support, a pair of pelt feeding and holding rolls to the rear of the support, and a rotating roll to the rear of said latter feeding rolls having spaced flexible nubs to work the liquid uniformly into the fur,

8. In a machine for carroting fur on the skin, a support for the pelt, means for advancing the pelt over the support, a transverse reservoir over the support for holding carroting liquid, a supply reservoir for the carroting liquid, a series of discharge nozzles projecting laterally from the first reservoir, a discharge pipe from the supply reservoir to the first reservoir having a discharge opening at a level in ,said latter reserfor projecting a series of air blasts downward I 1y across the discharge nozzles.

9. In a machine for carroting fur on the skin, an open grid support, spray means so arranged as to direct a spray of carroting solution downwardly onto a pelton the support and including a reservoir to hold carroting solution, a second reservoir, pipe means connecting the first and second reservoirs, a pan under the support to receive excess solution, means for returning this excess, solution to'the first reservoir, and means controlled by the liquid level in the first reservoir for supplying the solution from the second reservoir to the first.

10. In a machine for carroting fur on the skin, a substantially horizontal support for the pelt comprising a series of rods round at their upper sides so as to provide substantially line contact with the skin and whereby wetting of the skin is prevented, means above the support comprising a series of nozzles for spraying carroting liquid into the fur under pressure, and means for advancing the pelt over the support past the spray.

11. In a machine for carroting fur on the skin, a support for the pelt comprising a series of rods having substantially line contacts on their upper surfaces with the skin whereby wetting of the skin is prevented, a transverse tube over the support adapted to contain carroting liquid, a plurality of nozzles projecting laterally through the side of the tube, means for maintaining carroting'liquid at a given level in the tube below the nozzles, said nozzles having inlets below the liquid level,

across the nozzlee toward the pelt on the support, means for advancing the pelt through the spray, a receptacle under the support to catch surplus liquid from the support, and

means for returning the liquid from the receptacle to the tube.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

JOSEPH WEBER. JULIAN ,F. TOMAINO. 

